Today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms will be presented in Aulacese (Vietnamese), with subtitles in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

Since time immemorial, the Aulacese (Vietnamese) have been accustomed to wearing a hat. Everyone would wear a hat, be it the ancient king or everyday people. Some hats, such as the turban, are characteristic of each region.

There is one that is popular throughout the country, that is the ready-to-wear turban, also known as the traditional crown-like hat. In today’s program, we are pleased to introduce a number of Aulacese graceful hats, especially the elegant crown hat, often worn with the traditional long dress.

In olden days, Aulacese women often wore their hair long. Thus, when working, they had to roll their hair up neatly. First, they rolled the hair in a cloth made of crepe or velvet, wrapping the hair into a tube-like shape. This head-dress nowadays has become a ready-to-wear headgear as an ornament which can be worn with the traditional four-panel dress or traditional long dress.

Similarly, men in the old days, to avoid their hair getting entangled and to stop perspiration beads from rolling down their faces while doing daily labor work, often used a piece of cloth to tie up their hair, then knotted it at their forehead. This style looks like the head of an axe, and is thus called axe-head turban.

Later, this axe-head turban evolved into the “lương” turban. The word “lương” means “honesty” or “having a conscience.” Wearing the “lương” turban reminds people to uphold honesty. In the past, when going out, the elders tied their hair bun-like and donned the traditional long dress along with the “lương” turban, a costume considered dignified for someone who honored politeness and righteousness.

The “lương” turban is often a piece of plant-based silk or cloth, wrapped around one’s head in many circles. Regardless how it is wrapped, it must clearly form the shape of the word “One” or “Human” at the center of the forehead. The word “One” refers to the only Way (Truth) which encompasses all. One who comprehends the Truth will act wisely, according to Heaven’s will.

The word “Human” means “human being.” In order to be called a human, one must possess the befitting noble qualities. Putting the word “One” or “Human” on the head is to remind ourselves and others of the Way of Heaven and Earth and the Way of being human. This wrapping of the turban is very meticulous and takes time. Later, to avoid the inconvenience of wrapping and undoing it, the Aulacese thought of making a ready-to-wear headgear and just putting it on as needed. That was the birth of the traditional crown hat in about 1920.

A professional will now explain more about the characteristics of the crown-like turban, as well as the difference in style for men versus women.

For the men, the turban’s width is about 5 centimeters; for the women, the turban’s width is only 2 centimeters. Men’s traditional turban has 9 rings: 8 main rings and 1 supporting ring. As for women, in the past, the turban was very low, about 16 main rings and 1 supporting ring. Nowadays, women often wear high turbans, so the turbans are made of 20 rings or 24 rings or 28 rings. Depending on the style, if a turban is too high, we reduce its width, so it looks neater and more beautiful. If a turban is too low, we increase its width a little.

To keep a crown turban in good condition, we shouldn’t let it get wet. Place it face up like this and don’t place heavy things on it. Men’s turban has a lid atop and is worn like an ordinary hat. Women’s turban should be worn about half way above the forehead, then it’s very nice. The key to making a beautiful turban is keeping the rings round and even. Usually, making it with the cloth widthwise is much more beautiful than using the cloth lengthwise. For velvet, we mainly don’t let its surface be crushed.

Wrapping a turban properly and beautifully will enhance the dignity of the turban wearer. To have such a turban requires the skill and experience for each phase. A turban maker will now share the technique of making a woman’s traditional crown hat.

The making of a crown-like turban has 4 stages: cutting, measuring, sewing, and wrapping. The measuring, cutting, sewing and wrapping of a man’s turban and a woman’s turban are basically the same. The first stage is measuring. Measure round one’s head. This measurement is 54. We’ll make a 25-ring turban. First, cut the paper the length of the head measurement, which is 54 plus 2. Next, we cut two pieces of paper to make the word “Human.” This is the “Human” piece. We have 2 of them.

The length of the first ring is 1/3 of the head measurement. For example, the first ring: 1/3 of the head measurement is 18, the second ring is cut 3 centimeters longer, that is 21centimeters, and the third ring is 3centimeters longer, which is 24 centimeters, and so on. The first ring is 1/3 of the head measurement. The subsequent rings are each 3 centimeters longer than the ring before it. There are 11 separate rings and 1 connecting ring in total.

For the connecting ring, cut long pieces of paper and join them to have 11 meters. After cutting the paper, we will cut the cloth. First, cut the cloth for the first paper ring. Then cut hemming cloth for the remaining rings. Finally, cut the cloth for the two “Human” pieces. Now comes the sewing. First, sew the cloth for the first ring. Use soft paper to line the cloth to sew the hem. Two pieces of cloth make up the word “Human.”

The last ring, we don’t sew but use paste to glue the cloth onto the paper. Everything is ready now. Let’s wrap a turban. Use a cylindrical tube to wrap the first ring around it. Hold it firm with the pins. After finishing the first ring, attach the word “Human” on it. Next, attach 11 separate rings in order, from short to long. After gluing 11 separate rings, do the same for the connected ring. Next, glue the last ring of the crown hat. After finishing the wrapping, remove the pins before the paste hardens. We’ve just finished a woman’s 25-ring crown hat.

Professor Dr. Trần Văn Khê, an honorary member of the International Music Council of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), stated: “Áo dài (long dress) is Aulacese national costume… Throughout a long time that I’ve been involved in traditional folk music, whenever performing, I always wore a long dress with the crown hat… and was always welcomed and praised wherever I go.”

Not only the Aulacese but people from abroad also adore the Aulacese traditional costume. In June 2008, more than 80 Miss World contestants appeared in the long dress in the program “Graceful Long Dress,” and the honor as best long dress wearer belonged to Miss Venezuela, Dayana Mendoza. In 2010, Miss India, Nicole Faria, in the long dress and crown hat, won the title at the Miss Earth contest in Nha Trang, a beautiful coastal city in Central Âu Lạc.

A long dress with crown hat when combined with an overcoat will enhance a woman’s elegance.

At the beginning, an overcoat was a part of the royal costume reserved for a mandarin's wife or a lady. With decorative images such as those of the phoenix, the sun, or five primary colors, an overcoat was donned in important royal court ceremonies or public appearances.

Today, an overcoat adorns the long dress with a crown hat in important events such as death anniversaries, weddings, engagement parties, village festivals or New Year celebrations. Be Veg Go Green

O Master, a painting vendor gave this to you.

Where is he now?

He left already!

This is an Aulacese dress. I’ve introduced it to you before. Today I’m wearing it for you. It’s not because the dress is beautiful, but the model. The beauty is from inside, not outside. Have you seen an Aulacese dress before? (No.) It’s not easy to make. Is it beautiful? ( Yes.)

Why do you keep clapping? (It’s beautiful.) Inside is even more beautiful. Normally, we don’t wear this. Only brides wear this. Yes, yes. Normally they don’t wear this; they only wear the inner part. Let me show you. Does it look good? (Yes.) Okay.

These kinds of Aulacese clothes are made according to your measurements. You see, it’s different.

I want to show you why this is good. If this side is creased, it will be different.

Or if this side is not good, then it doesn’t look good.

I like classic things. I like to have the original, not the altered style. If we alter the style, why not just wear something else?

Never mind. It is to let you know our culture. We not only have very good music but also very nice clothing. I like these clothes the most when I go to other countries.

You won’t feel bored with traditional Aulacese dresses. They are suitable for any occasion.

Even if you wear it to shop for groceries, it’s still appropriate. Yes, yes. In ancient Âu Lạc, they all wore dresses like this to shop for groceries, carry water, or do anything else. That’s right. They also had different styles. They had another style, which was worn more often, and it looked very nice. If you wear this to attend a meeting or a party, it’s also very formal.

A dedication by Giáng Hương.

The traditional long dress with crown hat also have been honored as Supreme Master Ching Hai’s chosen attire when meeting with members of royal families and heads of state worldwide, or At charity activities, public lectures and meetings with thousands of our Association members from all over the world.

During formal events attended by citizens from many different cultures, Supreme Master Ching Hai has donned the Aulacese áo dài and its accompanying crown-like headgear such as during the occasions when the Honorable Mayor of Honolulu, Frank Fasi, and the six Mid-western governors from the United States of American proclaimed The Supreme Master Ching Hai Day October 1993 and in February 1994, respectively; in her visits to the kings, queens, and royal families in Africa as well as in Cambodia in 1995 and 1996; at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in South Africa in December 1999; and at the Gusi Peace Prize ceremony in the Philippines in November 2006.

Further, on the anniversary of The Supreme Master Ching Hai Day in Formosa (Taiwan) in 1995, she was the blessed image of the compassionate Quan Yin Bodhisattva in the white Aulacese áo dài and veil.

In the graceful long dress and the accompanying hat appearing like a shining halo, together with a softly flowing overcoat, Supreme Master Ching Hai has reflected in part the brilliant and pure beauty of Heaven through áo dài, the national traditional costume of Âu Lạc,

Thank you for watching our program today featuring the Aulacese (Vietnamese) traditional crown hat. Please tune in to Supreme Master Television for more on Aulacese traditional programs in future broadcasts.

Coming up next is Vegetarianism: The Noble Way of Living, after Noteworthy News. Farewell for now.